13 Facts About HGTV’s Show ‘Fixer Upper’ You Didn’t Know

Christin is a mom and editor specializing in lifestyle content. She also hides cookies like a boss.

Since its debut in 2013, Fixer Upper has become one of the most popular remodeling shows on HGTV — and for good reason! Chip and Joanna Gaines, the powerhouse couple behind the stunning remodels, are both amazing at what they do. He’s goofy and she’s relatable, meaning their personalities have drawn in viewers from the start.

Chip handles the construction and Joanna does the design, which she defines as “simple and classic. Farm inspired. Industrial. Unexpected.” It’s a design style that gets viewers hooked on each new project. Fans patiently wait for the end of the episode to see how Chip and Joanna will incorporate their love of shiplap into that particular project!

Fixer Upper follows a format similar to several of the other remodeling shows on the network. Participants “select” a house from three options, then turn complete design and remodeling control over to the husband-and-wife team. At the end, there’s a reveal where the (huge!) poster of their old home is rolled away and the couple finally gets to see the unbelievable transformation.

Thumbnail Source: Courtesy HGTV

Seven Facts About Fixer Upper You Didn’t Know

Courtesy HGTV

As is the case with any TV program, there are things that go on behind the scenes that might shock you — after all, they only show you what they want you to see! Here, we’ve uncovered several little-known Fixer Upper facts. Test your fan knowledge to see if you knew any of these.

1. Participants Already Own The Homes Or Are In The Process Of Buying a Home

The application to be on the show states that “to be eligible you must be in the process of buying or plan on buying a home within 40 miles of Waco, Texas.”

The first half of the show, where the participants “choose” one of the three potential homes, is staged in some cases. This is most likely done because the process would be way too long and complicated otherwise. David Ridley, who appears as a participant on season three, explained to Fox News that “you have to be under contract to be on the show. They show you other homes, but you already have one. After they select you, they send your house to Chip and Joanna and their design team.”

2. You Don’t Get To Keep The Furniture

Most, but certainly not all, of the fabulous furniture used to stage the home for the reveal comes from Joanna’s own Magnolia furniture line. Joanna and her team also incorporate the client’s own furnishings into the design, especially if it’s a special piece. Joanna explained in a Q&A: “The main reason I decorate the rooms for the reveal is because I want the clients to get the full picture of how to maximize their newly renovated space…Most of the items that are not theirs to begin with are available to the client at the end of the project.”

3. Chip and Joanna Renovate More Of The House Than You See

In some cases, the whole house is remodeled with quality craftsmanship depending on the client’s budget and wishes. Pervasive rumors have swirled about the quality of the craftsmanship on other remodeling shows, but that’s not the case with the Fixer Upper show.

Participant Jaime Ferguson shared in an interview: “I was completely unaware of how much quality work goes into Magnolia Renovations. There is not a door in my house that isn’t surrounded in beautiful thick wood-trim casing. They just finish out the entire project (parts you don’t see on the show) to a tee. They even did space planning in our master closet.”

4. You Can Rent Former Homes From The Show

It’s unknown whether they did this to cash in on the show’s popularity, but regardless, Chip and Joanna aren’t really fans of this. They’re planning to be a bit stricter about this issue in their contracts going forward, with their spokesperson telling the Waco Tribune-Herald: “We want to do remodels for clients’ homes. That’s the true intent of our show, and we want to ensure that does not get lost in this new vacation rental trend.”

Today Show also just revealed that one property, the “Barndominium,” has been listed for sale at $1.2 million.

5. Fixer Upper Is Getting A Spin-Off Show

Chip and Joanna Gaines will soon become even more popular, as they will be the focus of an HGTV-produced spin-off show called Fixer Upper: Behind the Design. The show will take viewers behind the scenes to see what goes on off-camera during the renovation and design phases.

6. The Gaines Own A Host Of Other Businesses

Before the fame, Joanna’s original store was called Magnolia Market. Now, the couple owns Magnolia Realty, Magnolia Homes, a bed and breakfast called Magnolia House, a two-acre shopping space in downtown Waco called Magnolia Market at the Silos, and even a bakery called Magnolia Baking Co. What’s up with all the magnolia references? It’s a nod to the magnolia flowers that Chip used to pick back when he and Joanna were dating, which is explained in their book The Magnolia Story. It was the inspiration for their very first venture, Magnolia Market, and they’ve chosen to stick with it ever since.

7. Chip Is (Finally!) Getting His Own Store

According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, Chip will open a store in one of the silos at the couple’s jointly owned Magnolia Market at the Silos. It’s not yet known what exactly will be sold, but you can bet that it’ll be 1) manly, and 2) awesome.

Six Fun Facts About Chip And Joanna Gaines

Courtesy HGTV

Parents, farm owners, business tycoons, and TV show hosts — that’s quite a résumé for Fixer Upper hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines. But their long list of responsibilities doesn’t seem to faze them one bit. Here are some fun facts about the Gaines family that you may not already know.

1. They Don’t Own A TV

It seems odd for one of TV’s hottest “it” couples to not own a TV, but that’s the case with Chip and Joanna Gaines. Although they’ve never stated an “official” reason for saying no to the boob tube, they’ve hinted to Entertainment Tonight that it helps keep their kids grounded and living normal lives.

2. Joanna Gaines Loves Hearing Fans Trying To Guess Her Ethnicity

After season one of Fixer Upper aired, Joanna Gaines had a lot of fans asking about her ethnicity. In a Q&A, the designer answered a fan’s question directly. “I love hearing all the guesses. Although I did play Pocahontas in high school, I am not Native American,” she shared. “My father is half Lebanese/half German, and my mother is full Korean.”

3. Chip And Joanna Attended The Same University But Didn’t Meet There

They both attended Baylor University in Texas at the same time, but didn’t meet until after they had both graduated.

4. They Own A 40-Acre Farm

As if raising four kids and running multiple businesses weren’t enough, the couple owns and runs a 40-acre farm with more than 60 animals, including goats, chickens, and cows. They live in a farmhouse they renovated to absolute perfection.

5. They Fell Into All Of This By Accident

The couple rose to fame after a production company saw a photo of one of their renovations and reached out to them with a proposal for a show. “They contacted us through our website and the rest is history!” Joanna explained.

6. They Have Four Kids And Wouldn’t Rule Out A Fifth

The Gaines have four kids and tons of animals, so there are almost always kids and animals around during filming! During an interview with AOL’s Build, Joanna and Chip hinted that they may want to have another baby. “I’m trying to talk him into another child,” Joanna said. “But he’s not interested.”

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